


Language of Flowers

by TimelessDreamer2



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Gift Fic, Language of Flowers, M/M, Many Episodes, No Dialogue, rinch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2015-04-24
Packaged: 2018-03-24 16:44:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3775966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimelessDreamer2/pseuds/TimelessDreamer2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Romance as seen through flowers, expressions and touch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ghost Flowers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [potc](https://archiveofourown.org/users/potc/gifts), [KRyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KRyn/gifts).



> Flower meanings will be explained at the end of each chapter, and possibly in the story it'sself.
> 
> These will be very short chapters. Because... no dialogue challenge that I gave myself?
> 
> I blame Rinch chat. As usual.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ghosts can be many things, a name, a place... even a flower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode Tag S01 Ep 02 - Ghosts

 

It should have been such an easy thing to do, especially for someone that was a former spy. At the beginning, it was easy to trail the limping man through the crowded streets, the expensive cut of the suit, distinctive striped tie, with far more color than most would choose, unique haircut, all things that stood out in the crowd of people. Even the phone call was part of a plan to keep his target off guard, as it made perfect sense to check in with one’s employer. Rounding the corner to see a nearly empty street and no sign of the man he had been following, was baffling, the final words on the phone almost an insult to one with his skills.

Closing the phone with a sigh, John Reese looked down to see something odd. In the center of the sidewalk was a flower. Tiny, and barely bigger than his thumb, a perfect circle shape and a blue that did not belong in the gray New York streets. Stooping quickly, he picked it up, holding the slight stem carefully. Another piece of an seemingly endless puzzle that made up his employer, Harold Finch. He really couldn’t help the slight quirk of his mouth. This was certainly going to be fun.

**……**

 

Arriving back at the ordinary office, that was full of ordinary people, doing simple, ordinary work, John continued to search for the man that seemed to fit in perfectly but in reality did not. The desk that Harold had been using was pristine, not trace that anyone had used it in a long time, except for the lack of dust, and a small yellow flower that was just peeking out from behind the keyboard.

The stem on this one was slightly longer than the first, leaves that almost gave it a cone like shape were nearly as delicate as the crown shaped golden petals. The flower too, was larger, yet it seemed almost more fragile than the first. It reminded John of the fields of buttercups that he had seen in a painting once, far from home and on a mission. It took only a second to tuck it out of sight, when the very nosey co-worker approached, and through the following phone call, that seemed to be warning John away from learning Harold’s secrets.

The flowers, though, both of them, were almost like a clue, an encouragement to play even harder. He never could resist a good challenge and Harold was proving to be a much bigger challenge than he had expected. It was, then, time to fall back a bit, do a bit of research, and start again the next day, armed with whatever information he could get on these tiny flowers, to see if they could help him solve the puzzle of his ghost like employer.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flower Meanings - 
> 
> Bindweed - Perseverance  
> Aconite (yellow) - Be Cautious  
> Ghost Flower - Turning Tides


	2. Nightshade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even when our thoughts turn dark, there is always one that can understand. Perhaps not approve, but understand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag to S01 Ep 04 - Cura Te Ispum

 

 

Two weeks after the flowers, after spending the entire night, researching, investigating, even asking at local flowershops, and John was no closer to the answer of Harold than he had been before. He knew now what the flowers meant, he understood that if he continued that he would eventually find his answers, but that they not be worth the effort. The message was very clear, but John didn’t know why. Why Harold would encourage yet warn him away at the same time. John knew though, that he was going to keep looking, he had to now, he simply had to know, and he wasn’t entirely sure why he had to know so badly.

Harold certainly did not make it easy. There were no more flowers, or even an acknowledgement the one time John had mentioned flowers. Nothing, until a young doctor decided that vengeance was more important than healing.

......

 

Sending Doctor Tilman back in a cab was the easy part. Avoiding Harold while John did what needed to be done was completely different. He had deliberately kept his plans vague, what the genius didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him, or John’s chances of continuing to be employed. He liked this job, it was good to finally be able to help people for a change, instead of simply killing them. Still, he knew what he had to do.

Slipping into the van, he glanced briefly into the back, insuring his ‘cargo’ was still complacent, before starting to slip the keys into the ignition. the soft sound they made as they hit the floor went unheard, as he stared at the dash. The tiny white flower was just visible in the shadow, the parking lights barely reaching it. It was very small, petals curled slightly away from the yellow stamen. The pale white and bright yellow made the tiny thing seem all the more innocent, and John had honestly never seen this kind of flower before.

Pointedly ignoring the way his hand shook slightly when he picked it up, John pulled out his phone, taking the time to describe it on the search, before glancing back at his ‘cargo’. It didn’t take long to see the words that came after the flower’s name. _‘Discretion’_. Maybe… Maybe he didn’t have to completely avoid Harold after all, not that he planned on telling the other man exactly what he was going to do.

......

 

When he finally returned to his current room, yet another anonymous place, he is instantly on alert. Clearing the place takes no time at all, his favorite gun out and ready, but the only change is almost surprising. A cluster of flowers rests on the dingy counter, the only bit of color in the entire place, startlingly out of place and far too brilliantly colored. When John picks up the stem, the entire bunch moves with it, showing it is simply one flower and not several. The petals are pink, pale but still vivid in the low light, the stem is thick, and the single leaf still attached is a dark green. He honestly could not imagine why Harold had left this for him, because it had to be Harold, no one else could find him here, of that he was certain. John eventually slipped his phone out, fiddling with it until he brought up the webpage he had used before.

The name of the flower was easy, it’s meaning, puzzling, especially considering what had happened earlier in the night. How could Harold, who from his own words, hated violence, understand why he had done what he had. It had been easy, oh ** _so_** easy, to slip back into his old ways, the ones that had led him to this point. How could Harold, possibly ever truly understand that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flower Meanings
> 
> Lemon Blossom - Discretion  
> Hydrangea - Understanding  
> Nightshade - Dark Thoughts


	3. Protea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Courage comes in many forms, even in men that appeared very very different. A courage after all, was the same in every person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode tag to S01 Ep 05 - Judgement
> 
> I am doing my best to tie in the title flower to the episode. I hope I am doing alright.

 

 

If he was completely honest, John absolutely expected the rapid shutdown that Harold had given him in the diner. He still didn’t agree that Harold actually understood him, not even close, but he did appreciate the effort. Plus the flower had certainly smelled better than the rest of the tiny little room, he had rented.

What he hadn’t expected was the flower that had been tucked into the menu along with the Judge’s picture. While he knew the flowers were all from Harold, who else could find his current apartment, but he never expected harold to be so blatant about it. When he picked up the fragile thing, feathery petals drifted down to rest on the picture. They were delicate, wispy things almost the color of cream, with almost no scent. They were pretty in their own way, but far too delicate for someone like John to handle. Taking a moment, partly to click on the many bookmarked links on his phone, and partly to accept the coffee the waitress brought, John decided that this flower reminded him the most of Harold. Physically delicate but with meaning at it’s core. _‘Seek Justice’_ ….. John supposed he would handle that.

 

......

 

After shoving his arms into the brand new shirt, his exact size, and preferred color, that Harold had seemingly produced from thin air, John had spun around only to pause. Despite John taking his anger out on Harold, just slightly, Harold still stood there, patiently holding John’s jacket, face blank, like he hadn’t spent the last ten minutes assisting John in patching his shoulder, while John complained. Instead, Harold, deftly had John out of the library before he could even think about offering a quiet apology.

It wasn’t until he was halfway down the block, that he shoved his hands into the jacket, feeling something slightly sharp poke at one of his fingers. Almost roughly he pulled the flower from his pocket, snapping one of the pointy leaves and losing a couple of the soft pink petals in the process. Oddly enough, John already knew this flower. Despite the fact he had once seen Kara, stab a man in the eye with it, not a pretty thing despite being fairly effective, he also remembered the smell of them from a neighbor’s house when he was small. That neighbor was the reason he already knew what the flower meant. She had planted them in honor of her husband. John supposed this was Harold's way of encouraging him.

 

......

 

There was nothing left behind after Harold’s second departure from the cafe, but still in all John was feeling pretty good about the entire thing. They weren’t friends yet, and John still didn’t have near enough answers to his many questions, but it was a very good start. That was until the waitress appeared, deposited his order and left with brisk efficiency. The food certainly smelled good, but there was a tiny bit of yellow peeking out from the edge of the plate. Another grin flashed across his face as he pulled the tiny thing out. Like the first, it was circular, this time a brilliant yellow orange, instead of a soft blue, no leaves to help with the search. John spent the entire time he was at the diner, looking from page to page, in an attempt to figure out the latest meaning, because apparently color changed the meaning of things. In the end, he decided that both the color meaning and the flower meaning its’self fit.

Maybe... John would have to start actively showing exactly how he felt about this too. 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flower meaning
> 
> Chestnut Flower - Seek Justice  
> Gladious - Strength of Character  
> Poppy (yellow) - Success (Yellow flowers in general can also mean, a job well done)  
> Protea (king) - symbolic of diversity and courage.


	4. Everlasting Flower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are people and places that we cannot forget... then there are the things that we _choose_ to remember...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode tag to both S1 ep 10 Number Crunch and S1 Ep 11 Super. As the time between the two. 
> 
>  
> 
> (Perhaps I am getting morose, but I never promised they would all be Fluffly)

 

 

 

The first thing that caught his attention was a slightly monotone beeping. It was a sound he had woken up to more than once, so he dismissed it and moved on. There was a moist warmth over his eyes, probably a damp cloth, which really was acceptable, his head was pounding, and he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to open his eyes. The third thing he noticed was a scent. Light, pleasant, and familiar but most likely expensive… Harold, then. He was most likely, as safe as he ever was. With that thought floating around, John went back to sleep.

The second time he woke up, the beeping remained, but the smell and the cloth were both gone, replaced by hushed whispers in a vaguely familiar language. Middle East, Israel, possibly Turkey… He started to move, one shaky hand  slowly moving to touch an IV line. He wasn’t supposed to be here… Would he see Kara and Mark walk through the door, or would it be Harold? Had Harold been a fever dream? John had had those before… He struggled a bit to see, urgant to see but a soft hand rested on his arm, a blurry, unfamiliar face whispered to him to sleep.

The next time John woke up, his head was clearer, the beeping and whispers gone. The room was completely silent, the sheets soft and bed comfortable. He blinked a couple of times, took a rather shaky breath, it hurt more than he liked to breathe, and froze. There was a new scent in the room, several in fact. He turned his head to the right, noting the window and the seemingly nice day, before dismissing it and turning to the left. Ah, there was the source of the smell. a simple collection of flowers, in an oddly simple vase. John blinked a couple of times, before he noticed something odd about the flowers. There were two that were nearly the same color, along with an oddly shaped white one and one that had a hint of pink to it. It was the odd branch that was resting directly in the middle of the flowers that held his attention. It had no flower, no bud, and the leaves, were brown, and dried. Not something that any half respectable florist would put into a bouquet especially for get well flowers.

Shaking his head a bit, clearing the last of the fog from his memory, John realized that Harold had to have left them. The man had already saved his live, in an almost daring rescue, something John appreciated greatly, and he knew that Harold was far more comfortable talking with flowers than he was in person, especially about sensitive subjects. So what could a branch with dead leaves possibly mean?

 

......

 

John spent a _lot_ of time in the apartment. _Way_ more time than he personally preferred. He watched the number, worried about Harold running around doing John’s job, and was generally bored. He honestly did _not_ understand how Harold did this every day. The only thing that it did allow him to do was to look up all the flowers that had been in the recovery room with him. He had only been there for an hour, before someone appeared to wisk him away to the new apartment, and they had _not_ let him take the flowers with him. In all truth, the meaning of the bouquet was rather depressing, not that John actually blamed Harold for that. It had probably been almost as bad on Harold as it had been for John.  Unfortunately, there was no time at all to mention it, as he quickly had to go and terrorize some select people. Which honestly? John was perfectly fine with.

As he limped next to Harold, his eyes caught a small cluster of brightly colored flowers tucked into his front pocket, right next to his pocket square. John did not say a single word, but for this one, he didn’t have to. He knew those flowers. He had helped his mother put them at his grandparents grave every year as a child. Zinnia’s… So the question became who was it Harold was remembering?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flower meanings. 
> 
> Bouquet:  
> Violet (blue) - Watchfulness  
> Hyacinth (Purple) - I am sorry, Please forgive me, Sorrow  
> Dead Leaves - Sadness  
> Yarrow - Good Health  
> Raspberry Blossom - Regret or Remorse 
> 
> Single:  
> Zinnia (mixed colors) - Thinking (or in Memory) of an Absent Friend  
> Everlasting Flower - Remembrances


	5. Almond Blossoms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is a gift if it means nothing to the recipient?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode tag to Many Happy Returns. 
> 
>  
> 
> It is very short and to the point. But, I feel it says exactly what I wanted it to.   
> No Good Deed is next.

 

It had been so busy lately, with Darren, and Leila, Harold getting drugged and the mysterious Root, that John had almost forgotten the flowers. Today, had been one of the worst. Part of John had been ready to walk away, part of him felt that this was in truth, his final chance at some kind of redemption, and part of him, was disappointed that Harold had seemed to expect him to walk away as he left their bench by the river.

The first thing that caught John’s attention when he opened the heavy door was the scent of almonds. The scent filled the entire apartment, that was vast and beautiful. John walked slowly, partially due to his surprise and partially due to his careful nature. Once he reached the window, the view filled with a very large almond tree and Xiangqi tables,John realized that Harold had given him something to enjoy in his downtime, something that had everything he personally enjoyed. It was… equally concerning and touching.

When John finally turned away, from both the memories and the window, he noticed the vase sitting on one of the tables. It was the same vase from the hospital, but it had only one branch sitting in it. Despite that, the vase was nearly full, large green leaves, partially curled at both the ends and toward the middle, tiny, tiny white flowers that almost looked like silk in the center of the leaves. There were easily twenty to thirty of the blossoms on just the one branch. It was oddly familiar. John remembered seeing it once on a trip to Japan, his only trip to Japan actually.

Feeling oddly pleased that he had, shortly after they had given Leila back to her family, downloaded an app, that made it far easier to look up flowers, he took the time to read a bit about it. How it was more resistant to insect attacks, resilient to temperatures… and what it meant… _‘You shall be happy yet...’_

Looking at that flower, knowing it could not have been easy, or cheap to find, and knowing that if Harold really had intended to give it to him earlier today, that this meaning was something that his partner, truly meant. It was that simple, silent gesture, that convinced John to stay. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Syringa (Japanese Liliac or Ivory Silk)- You Shall Be Happy Yet  
> Almond Blossom - A promise (to be kept)


End file.
